'We only want the referees to get it right' - Chesterfield boss explains his sending-off in loss at Newport
‘The professional referees have clearly indicated to me that there were two incorrect decisions’
Chesterfield manager Paul Cook has explained the story behind his sending-off in last week’s defeat at Newport County.
Cook was dismissed by Zac Kennard-Kettle at half time of the 4-1 reverse after disputing a big call in the contest at 2-0 when a home player appeared to stop a goal-bound shot with his hand.
Instead of the Spireites getting a penalty and the bonus of playing the last hour against ten men, no action was taken.
The manager was also unhappy that Chesterfield had a 37th minute strike ruled out for offside against Remeao Hutton.
Cook told the Derbyshire Times: “I was waiting for the referee at half time and I got sent off trying to dispute the decisions he made.
“The professional referees have clearly indicated to me that there were two incorrect decisions - handball and sending off - and a Chesterfield ‘goal’ was clearly onside.
“They are big moments, massive moments, and the referee refuses to discuss them with me.”
The team chief is now awaiting his punishment with Saturday’s FA Cup tie at home to Yeovil looming.
“I will take my punishment. I have no problem with my punishment,” he said.
“I would imagine it will be a ban and a fine and that’s the madness of football today that they will come on the back of what we witnessed.
“While we did let our supporters down a little bit, we were also let down by officials and not for the first time for us.
“That may be just symptomatic of football today because we do seem to discuss referees a lot, don’t we, whether it’s VAR or consistency. We all only want the referees to get it right.
“When our fans travel to Newport they want to see a fair game. If we have a man sent off, it’s football, but when we are in a position 20 minutes in when the other team could have been playing with a ten men and we would have a penalty, the reality of the game has changed.
“That’s the really disappointing thing from the match at Newport.
Coming after the 5-1 destruction of Crewe, the result left Chesterfield tenth in League Two going into the Yeovil match and the EFL Trophy date at local rivals Mansfield Town next Tuesday.
“I accept and own our performance. That is not my debate,” added Cook. “Chesterfield Football Club, as a group of people, we want to think we should be doing better.
“In 14 league games these lads have shown us the highs and the lows of what they can achieve.
“What we have to concentrate on, certainly in the short term, is the highs.”